Best resources/stores locally for DIY?

[LadAShark]

I'm trying to find more info about local stores and resources that can help with stuff like pumps, skimmers, glass, acrylics, you name it. Anything that you can build for an aquarium. I also feel like such a local list would benefit the extant DIY community in the future.

[Fisher15]

I do everything DIY and I usually get everything over the internet. I live in a small town with few resources. I just completed a large 3D printer and everything was purchased over the internet. Much of it came from Europe and China.

Edited June 14, 2016 by Fisher15

[LadAShark]

I do everything DIY and I usually get everything over the internet. I live in a small town with few resources. I just completed a large 3D printer and everything was purchased over the internet. Much of it came from Europe and China.

Yeah, I was gonna order stuff like glass from china because of how cheap it is ordering form there (even low iron glass).

 

How much did shipping stuff from china/europe cost you?

[fishboys]

When you take on any large DIY jobs no one store will work best. You will need any and every source you can find and glean as much info from others that have traveled that road or even a similar road. Internet  research on forums such as this will provide you with a wealth of information that no amount of money can buy. Just remember that after you have learned everything you can, you will need to pass on your knowledge. I have much more to say but I forgot I am at work ;{

[LadAShark]

When you take on any large DIY jobs no one store will work best. You will need any and every source you can find and glean as much info from others that have traveled that road or even a similar road. Internet research on forums such as this will provide you with a wealth of information that no amount of money can buy. Just remember that after you have learned everything you can, you will need to pass on your knowledge. I have much more to say but I forgot I am at work ;{

Oh, lol. Hope you didn't get caught at work haha.

 

I am aware no one store will work best. I am looking and looking and looking, and I've found that everything is feasible, except for glass, which seems to be so hard to find at a reasonable price for some reason. Google sure isn't finding me more than a few glass providers in the USA, all of whom charge at the MINIMUM $32 a squre foot for low iron glass 3/4"

I know as a matter of fact that it's impossible that builers would not pay such amounts of money for glass. There is absolutely no way. I am sure there are cheaper providers of glass, but where are they? I do not know.

 

Meanwhile, ordering from China through alibaba, the average price is $20-40 a square METER which means it's effectively 10 times less per square foot, at 2-4 dollars a square foot, but the shady business practices in China make it extremely hard for buyers to traverse. Not to mention the fact that most sellers set a minimum order limit of 100 square meters of glass.

[Fisher15]

I buy all of my glass through an online company in Vancouver called Next day glass. I have also had them make custom mirrors for my bathroom.

[LadAShark]

I buy all of my glass through an online company in Vancouver called Next day glass. I have also had them make custom mirrors for my bathroom.

Looked into them. Unfortunately they don't have glass up to the dimensions I need. I need 120", they max at 96"

[Fisher15]

Yeah, I was gonna order stuff like glass from china because of how cheap it is ordering form there (even low iron glass).

 

How much did shipping stuff from china/europe cost you?

I ordered glass for a 24" x 24" x 12" glass frag tank as well as my algae scrubber housing.  They were cut, edged and drilled as needed.  I purchased them from One-Day Glass online and they were less expensive delivered than I could buy them here.

On freight from China, its quite cheap.  The problem is that it takes as much as 8 weeks to get some items.  But if you know what you want, there are some good buys.